The Fund Development Committee, consisting of Adrienne, Tyrone, Taina, Steven, Bill, Jonathan, and Sandra, discussed their agenda. Bill provided an update on the financial status, noting a $4,000 increase in payroll likely due to hourly employees working fewer hours, and emphasized the importance of investigating significant fluctuations. The meeting also focused on fundraising and budgeting, with Jonathan inquiring about the status of the fundraiser and Adrienne asking about the process for signing the 990 form. The committee also discussed the growth in student enrollment, with projections for the next year to be given at a board meeting. 
 

Steven discussed the need to raise funds to meet the growing needs of their program, including staffing, program development, and technology. They planned to revise their Fund Development Plan with updated figures and considered expanding their programs, which might require leasing an additional space. They agreed to start working on their fund development campaign immediately. Rooted reported back to their funders about the upcoming year's enrollment and emphasized the need to focus on fund development. They discussed their current funding gaps and the need to update their working budget. They also considered the use of AI in grant writing for small schools. The aim is for each school to submit 5 to 10 applications over the next 12 months, potentially leading to funding of 25 to 50,000 dollars. 

Steven and Bill confirmed the continuation of their implementation funding for several more years, but acknowledged potential impacts from changes at WACharters. They also reviewed their smart goals, focusing on completing a 5-year development plan and updating the plan by August 2024. Adrienne proposed creating a visually appealing one-pager for donors and suggested pursuing fund development, including individual donor relationships, business sponsorships, and grant funding. Steven expressed a need for guidance in fund development and agreed to provide upcoming dates for potential sponsorship opportunities. The team also discussed the need for a campaign to support their work and the idea of showcasing student projects at events with potential sponsors. 
 

Taina discussed the importance of funding strategies for schools, emphasizing the role of local businesses and foundations. She highlighted the need for specific targets and goals in fundraising efforts. Taina also underscored the significance of understanding the students and their funders. She suggested the need for alignment and focus in their fundraising and recruitment strategies, and the potential for customizing their approach for different groups. Taina proposed exploring how school events could support their fundraising efforts and donor outreach. The team also discussed the potential of leveraging opportunities such as certifications and donations to engage with local partners and funders. They also highlighted the need to better accommodate a diverse student population and funders at their school. The team also discussed the importance of defining their value proposition and brand identity. 
 

Jonathan and Taina emphasized the importance of clear funding focus and brand positioning story for their upcoming fundraising targets. They agreed on the need for bite-sized asks and the clarification of urgent needs. The discussion also highlighted the importance of sharing school-level data and defining their strengths to create effective collateral. The team acknowledged the need for clarity in their communication strategies, especially when addressing different audiences. They also discussed various initiatives and tasks, including a potential barbecue event as a sponsorship opportunity. The next steps included waiting for feedback on the strengths and best tasks for the team, and deciding whether to move forward with the barbecue event. 
 

The team discussed various ways to support their organization, including hosting fundraising events and reaching out to high-net-worth individuals. Jonathan shared his experience organizing similar events for their school in New Orleans. The idea of updating their existing brand book was also brought up. The team agreed to present their ideas to Steven and others, considering hosting a brown bag event. They also discussed the idea of hosting fundraising events at board members' homes, a strategy previously used by another board Tyrone is part of. Adrienne voiced her concerns about the board's capacity to take on certain responsibilities, emphasizing the need for a clear plan and communication tools. The team agreed to start a Google Sheet for tracking upcoming events and opportunities, and to use social media for further outreach. They also discussed the potential of using these events as sponsorship opportunities and the need to create related collateral. 
 

The team discussed an upcoming event, which Rooted confirmed to have a majority of students attending and even mentioned that Sandra might be trying snowboarding. Rooted also noted that they had put the event link on the calendar, which will be updated as needed. Sandra suggested adding the board to the calendar invites and having regular discussions about the event. The team also discussed the need for forward-thinking planning, with Sandra suggesting a meeting with Angie and the Ops team. Tyrone proposed the idea of parents being involved in fundraising, citing an example from his own children's school.

Next steps

Consider adding a request for brand positioning and funding focus to the upcoming meeting with AMA.

Develop a list of emerging needs over the next year for fundraising.

Share school-level data comfortably at different inflection points.

Sandra and Adrienne will work on data pieces for the calendar.

Adrienne will draft a list of data questions for funders.

Adrienne will bring an early rough draft of one-pager collateral to the next Finance Fund Development Committee meeting.

Consider hosting a house party or a brown bag event to recruit potential donors.

Create a Google Sheet for event planning and share it with the team.

Consider asking AMA to create promotional materials for events.

Explore the possibility of using events as sponsorship opportunities.

Bill, Steven, and Sandra discussed the impact of Corey's departure from their team. They expressed their appreciation for Corey's contributions and the significant loss they felt. They also discussed the challenge of finding a replacement for Corey's role, with Bill suggesting that Matt might be transferred to their team. They mentioned the need for someone to help with CSP. Lastly, they highlighted Corey's attention to detail and his helpfulness in leaving behind guidelines and comments in documents, which has been useful for the team in his absence.